Spell checking programs are well known. These programs work in conjunction with various computer-based programs such as word processors, e-mail programs, web page generation programs and the like, to provide built-in spell checking functions to assist the user in creating correctly spelled documents. Unfortunately, however, users and especially children or those for whom English (or other language) is a second language, have come to rely more and more on these programs with a corresponding decline in people's ability to correctly spell words. This is particularly true for students. Students would rather rely on spell checking to correct their errors than to learn how to properly spell words.
Computer programs that aim to teach students how to spell are also known. These programs, however, typically provide spelling lessons using “canned” words—that is, words that the program or teacher has chosen to present to the student. The words that are chosen to be taught to the student have no bearing or connection with the words that the student selects to use in his or her own writing.
Accordingly, a need exists for a system and method which will capture a user's misspelled words while a user is engaged in authentic writing, and allow those words to be used in a teaching application and/or in a spelling journal type of application whether alone, or with other words as directed by an instructor.